Endless ink ribbon arrangement for typewriters



H. KERN 3,283,876 ENDLESS INK RIBBON ARRANGEMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Nov. 8,1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1963 Fig. 1

NOV. 8, 1966 KERN 3,283,876

ENDLESS INK RIBBON ARRANGEMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed May 13, 1963 2Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,283,876 ENDLESS INK RIBBONARRANGEMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Hans Kern, Munich, Germany, assignor toSiemens 8:

Halske Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin and Munich, Germany, a corporation ofGermany Filed May 13, 1963, Ser. No. 280,503 Claims priority,application Germany, May 14, 1962, S 79,431; May 18, 1962, S 79,494 3Claims. (Cl. 197168) The invention disclosed herein is concerned with anarrangement of an endless ink ribbon in connection with typewritershaving type carriers which are movable in the line-typing direction, theterm type carrier referring to a carrier or carriage having meansthereon cooperable with means associated with a staionary part of thetypewriter for producing a typing imprint. In general, typewriters .ofthis type will normally involve one or the other of two constructions.In the first the carriage is provided with imprinting means such aprinting element which is coopera-ble with a pla-tten to produce animprint upon a receiving media such as a sheet of paper disposedtherebetween. In the second construction the structure is reversed, withthe imprinting elements being stationary in line typing direction with acooperable hammer corresponding to the p-latten, being movable with thecarriage from one printing position to the next. In this type ofconstruction the imprinting elements usually are mounted on a rotatablemember or members, the axis of rotation of which extends parallel to thetyping direction and thus the direct-ion of movement of the carriage,with the actuation of the hammer on the latter being synchronized withthe rotation of the type element whereby the hammer is actuated inselective timing with respect to the oooperable imprinting wheel or drumto effect an imprinting of a selected character. The invention willhereinafter be described in connection with such type of mechanism.

Endeavors are being made in connection with typewriters of this kind, toprovide a light-weight and simple construction for the ink ribbon deviceor arrangement, since the ink ribbon moves along with the type carriagewhich should be loaded as lightly as possible.

According to the invention, the type carriage is complete-ly relieved ofthe load of the ink ribbon device by fixedly jo-urnalling on the housingthe deflection rollers for guiding the ink ribbon as well as the driveroller which inks the ribbon.

According to another feature of the invention, the shaft of the driveroller for the ink ribbon is intermittently stopped, depending upon thetransport of the type carriage, and is coupled with a roller whichguides the cable for the type carriage, the stopping being preferablyeffected upon the advance transport of the type carriage and thecoupling with the driven cable guide roller being carried out upon thereturn transport of the type carriage, whereby the ink ribbon and thetype carriage are transported with the same speed, and within the regionof the ink ribbon fork, disposed on the type carriage, in the samedirection. Coiled springs are preferably used to serve as couplingelements.

In such arrangement, the type carriage moves upon advance thereofstep-by-ste-p past the stationary ink ribbon; upon return transport ofthe type carriage, the ink ribbon is advanced with the same speed and inthe same direction as the type carriage and is inked by the driveroller. A relative motion between the ink ribbon and the ink ribbonfork, disposed on the type carriage, is in this manner avoided incidentto fast return transport of the type carriage. The ink ribbon is therebyprotected against wear.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the inkribbon is in the region of the typing operation guided over twodeflection rollers and along two substantially parallel disposedresilient leaf springs extending perpendicularly to the typing plane.These leaf springs effect, incident to the typing operation, anequalization of the ink ribbon longitudinally thereof while avoiding theinfluence of the masses involved. The deformation of the ink ribbon, atthe point of typing, which is with known ribbon forks caused by thenecessary length equalization of the ribbon and constitutes anothercause for the wear of the ribbon, is thereby avoided.

According to a further feature of the invention, the leaf springs andthe two deflection rollers are disposed in common upon a bracket whichis pivotally displaceable about a fixed axis, the pivotal axis beingpreferably arranged in the plane of motion of the ink ribbon. The inkribbon is in this manner not deformed incident to its raising andlowering with respect to the point of typing, and its edges areprotected against wear.

Further details of the invention will appear from the description of anembodiment which is rendered below with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of .an ink ribbon guiding device constructedin accordance with the principles of the present invention with aschematically indicated ink rib-bon fork; and

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of an ink ribbon guidance deviceconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventionand shown only within the area of typing.

Referring now to FIG. 1, numeral 1 indicates an endless ink ribbon whichis guided over rollers 2, such rollers being journal-led at points fixedin the irame or 1 ousing and being driven and inked by a drive roller 3,the latter being held on a shaft 4. A roller 5 which guides the cable ofthe transport of the type carriage and which has the same diameter asthe ribbon drive roller 3, is rotatably journalled on the shaft 4. Theshaft 4 is coupled to the guide roller 5 by releasable means comprisinga clutch spring 6 which embraces the shaft 4, one end of such springbeing anchored in the cable guide roller 5. Further releasable meanscomprisingspring 7 which embraces the shaft 4 in the same direction ofwinding as the spring 6, is with one end thereof anchored in a housingpart. The sense of rotation of the clutch springs 6, 7, which operate inknown manner, is such that the spring 6 opens incident tocounterclockwise rotation of the cable guide roller 5, that is, when thetype carriage 8 with the ink ribbon fork 9 moves in advance direction,While the clutch spring 7 closes upon an attempt of the shaft 4 torotate, thus arresting rotation of the shaft and therewith arrestingrotation of the ribbon drive roller 3 and the motion of the inkribbon 1. Upon rotation of the cable guide roller 5 in clockwisedirect-ion, that is, incident to the carriage return transport by actionof the cable 5, the clutch spring 6 will clutch the shaft, 4, the spring7 will open and the roller 5 will effect rotation of the shaft 4 andtherewith rotation of the ink ribbon drive roller 3, thus causing theink ribbon .to move. The ink ribbon 1 and the ink ribbon fork 9, whichis arranged on the type carriage 8, will move with the same speed andthe same direction of motion owing to the same direction of rotation ofthe ribbon drive roller 3 and the cable guide roller 5, which have theidentical diameter.

An ink ribbon arrangement in the region of printing will now bedescribed with reference to FIG. 2 which illustrates a second embodimentof the present invention. The printing is effected by means of a hammer11 cooperating with a type drum (not shown), which is arranged in backof the recording media such as the writing paper illustrated.

A bracket 12 is disposed on the carriage 18 for the printing hammer 11,for pivotal motion about the axis 16, such bracket being provided withresilient leaf springs 13 extending therefrom in parallel relationshipperpendicularly to .the printing plane, and having secured theretodeflection rollers 14, for guiding the ink ribbon '1, the leaf springsexerting resilient pressure on the ink ribbon. The pivot axis 16 of thebracket 12 and therewith also the axis of the deflection rollers 14,extends in the plane of the ink ribbon moving into and from the device.The leaf springs 13 are at the free ends thereof which lie near theprinting hammer 11, slight-1y arched so as to guide the ink ribbonproperly. If desired, the leaf springs may be provided with ears 17,shown in connection with one of .the leaf springs, to guide the ribbon.The rib-bon guide comprising the members 12, 13, 14 is, during thetyping or printing of a symbol, moved upwardly by the motion of the typehammer 11. Owing to the arrangement of the pivot 16 in the plane of theink ribbon 1, there does not occur any deformation during the raisingand lowering thereof, and no stress is accordingly placed on the edgesof the ribbon.

As shown in FIG. 1, the endless ink ribbon 1 is preferably guided overthe drive and inking roller 3 for motion in the direction indicated byarrows. If desired in a given case, the ribbon may be arranged formotion in a direction opposite to the indicated direction. The drive forthe type carriage and for the inking roller 3 may be with the aid ofsimple means so modified that the peripheral speed of such roller andtherewith the speed of the ink ribbon in the region of the ribbon fork,is equal to the speed of the type carriage and thus equal to the speedof the ribbon fork.

Minor changes may be made with respect to the journalling of the bracket12 so as to adapt the ribbon guide, described in connection with FIG. 2,for use in known typewriters operating with -a type basket.

Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claimswhich define what is believed to be new and desired to have protected byletters Patent.

1 claim:

1. An ink ribbon mechanism for a typewriter having a frame, a carriagemounted on said firame and movable relative to said frame along a typingline in a line-typing direction and a return direction and means forsupporting an ink-receiving medium, comprising an endless ink ribbonhaving a portion thereof disposed at a typing position;

ribbon inking and driving means including a drive rollor for said ribbonmeans mounted on said carriage for supporting said ribbon in the typingposition;

means operatively connected with said drive roller for effectingrotation thereof and movement of said ribbon with movement of saidribbon supporting means with respect to said medium supporting means during movement of said carriage in the return direction; and meansoperatively connected with said drive roller for preventing rotationthereof and preventing movement of said ribbon relative to said mediumsupporting means during movement of said carriage in the typingdirection, whereby relative movement takes place between said ribbon andsaid ribbon supporting means only during movement of said carriage inthe typing direction.

2. The ink ribbon mechanism as defined in claim 1 including a driveshaft journalled on said frame, said drive roller fixedly mounted onsaid shaft, said rotation elfecting means including a first clutchspring engaging said drive shaft and means for rotating said firstclutch spring.

3. The ink ribbon mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said rotationpreventing means includes a second clutch spring engaging said driveshaft and secured to said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 860,296 7/1907Hopkins 19752 1,083,580 1/1-914 Zenke l97-17 X 1,547,150 7/1925 Von Pein197168 X 1,947,730 2/ 19 34 Mosfellt et al. 197-168 X 1,958,764 5/1934Mosfelt et a1. 197168 2,214,414 9/1940 Myers 19715-3 2,214,415 9/1940Kittel 197153 2,217,180 10/1940 Noonan 197153 2,246,195 6/1941 Sweeney197-16'8 X 2,462,132 2/ 1 949 Sol-mon 19753 2,475,336 7/1949 Petz197-468 2,747,718 5/1956 May 197170 X 2,803,331 8/1957 Berill 19715 32,831,424 4/1958 -Ma cD0na'ld 19749 X 2,864,482 1 2/1958 Augustin l97492,879,876 3/1959 Palmer et al 197-52 X 2,919,002 12/1959 Palmer l97-162,919,008 12/1959 Whippo 197157 3,042,174 7/ 1962 Howard 197--168 X3,050,172 8/1962 Londeberg 197168 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

P. WILLIAMS, E. S. BURR, Assistant Examiners.

1. AN INK RIBBON MECHANISM FOR A TYPEWRITER HAVING A FRAME, A CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME ALONG A TYPING LINE IN A LINE-TYPING DIRECTION AND A RETURN DIRECTION AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AN INK-RECEIVING MEDIUM, COMPRISINMG AN ENDLESS INK RIBBON HAVING A PORTION THEREOF DISPOSED AT A TYPING POSITION; RIBBON INKING AND DRIVING MEANS INCLUDING A DRIVE ROLLER FOR SAID RIBBON MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE FOR SUPPORTING SAID RIBBON IN THE TYPING POSITION; MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID DRIVE ROLLER FOR EFFECTING ROTATION THEREOF AND MOVEMENT OF SAID RIBBON WITH MOVEMENT OF SAID RIBBON SUPPORTING MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID MEDIUM SUPPORTING MEANS DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE IN THE RETURN DIRECTION; AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID DRIVE ROLLER FOR PREVENTING ROTATION THEREOF AND PREVENTING MOVEMENT OF SAID RIBBON RELATIVE TO SAID MEDIUM SUPPORTING MEANS DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE IN THE TYPING DIRECTION, WHEREBY RELATIVE MOVEMENT TAKES PLACE BETWEEN SAID RIBBON AND SAID RIBBON SUPPORTING MEANS ONLY DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE IN THE TYPING DIRECTION. 